Earning a college degree can be life changing. The business of connecting prospective students to those life-changing institutions however can be arduous and oftentimes those on the frontlines, admissions recruiters, are early-career individuals without extensive training or professional support.

This summer in Philadelphia, attendees of The Making of a Super Recruiter Conference will experience two days of hands-on career development from a range of experts, including a deeply inspiring pep talk from a keynote speaker who has risen through the ranks of college admissions and financial aid.

Dr. Joanne Landers, vice president of enrollment services at Tennessee Wesleyan University, who will serve as the 2018 Super Recruiter Conference keynote speaker, hopes that her talk inspires attendees to carry on in an industry that she knows firsthand is linked to significant burn out and high turn over.

“In the admissions and enrollment management profession we can hit burn out and question why we stay in this field,” says Landers, who first started as an admissions and financial aid counselor at 23 years old. “When I first started I thought what in the world did I get myself into! I want up-and-coming recruiters to know that it happens to the best of us, but higher education can be the most rewarding profession if you stick with it.”

Landers, who earned her undergraduate degree from Miami University, graduate degree from The University of Akron, and doctoral degree from Capella University, recalls well what lessons she learned fastest when first beginning in higher ed.

“Even though I thought I did, I realized I don’t know everything nor can I figure it out on my own,” she says. “I had to ask for help and it was ok to ask for help. I needed to really trust my instincts and that my words and actions really can make a difference in the lives of others.”

Now an expert in best practices for enrollment management as well as recruitment marketing and communications strategies, Landers cites the importance of mentors in the field as a significant factor in maintaining her path forward as well as her commitment to further her own education. A member of various industry organizations of which she serves on planning committees, Landers embraces her role at this point in her career to inspire and support those beginning in the profession.

“I was introduced at a conference to a woman of color and she said to me, ‘I want to be like you! You are a VP, have a Ph.D., and are a woman of color! We don’t see many like you on campus!’ This resonated with me because I never looked at it that way, but to know others are watching makes me stay focused and continue on the journey in this profession.”

Sponsored by higher education marketing enrollment firm Paskill Stapleton & Lord, the Making of a Super Recruiter Conference will be held from Thursday, July 12 through Friday, July 13 at the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown on Juniper Street. To learn more or to register, visit psandl.com/super.

Cathy Donovan,

A higher education professional with more than a decade serving in various communications roles at a Big 10 university. At PS&L, Cathy is busy implementing a marketing plan to promote the company’s visibility and various offerings, from training workshops to assessment services to our annual conference, through trade shows, email marketing, and digital strategy. Cathy also manages psandl.com, social media efforts, and agency publications. She can be reached at cdonovan@psandl.com.